The Ministry of Defence has announced future plans to downsize the Sri Lanka Army.
In a statement by the Defence Ministry, State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon has pointed out that military spending is basically state-borne expenditure.
This is something which indirectly stimulates and opens avenues for economic growth by way of assuring national and human security, he said.
“The strength of the military and sustainable economic development are two sides of a coin, which stay together, but never talk to each other in open,” he said.
Raising his concerns about the status quo mentioned, the State Minister said that even though the approved cadre of the Sri Lanka Army is now 200,783, it will be reduced to 135,000 by 2024.
State Minister Tennakoon also said that it has been projected to right-size the strength of the Sri Lanka Army to 100,000 by 2030.
The overall aim of the strategic blueprint is to broach a technically and tactically sound and well-balanced defence force by the year 2030, he revealed.
The State Minister added that the Defence Ministry’s aim is to do so in order to meet upcoming security challenges on par with the National Security dimensions of the country. (NewsWire)